ANC welcomes ICASA progress report on SABC's violent protest ban

31 January 2017

The ANC in Parliament welcomes the progress report tabled by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) to the Portfolio Committee on Communications in parliament today regarding the matter of the SABC’s ban of news relating to violent protests.

ICASA tabled their progress report on monitoring of its implementation of Compliance and Complaints Committee (CCC) ruling on SABC’s ban of violent protests. The Committee was informed that ICASA has instigated a criminal case against the SABC for its failure to comply with the CCC Ruling to lift the protest ban.

As the regulator for the South African communications, broadcasting and postal services sector, ICASA must hold its licensees accountable to its laws and regulations. As an independent authority, we expect ICASA to be more proactive in dealing with matters of serious public interest such as the SABC protest ban, rather than seat back and expect complaints to fall on its table.

We await the outcomes of the criminal investigation and have no doubt that it will be in the interest of the people of South Africa.

Issued by Nonceba Mhlauli, Media Liaison Officer, ANC Parliamentary Caucus, 31 January 2017